Composition of matter



(Specimens.)

P. H. HOLMES. COMPOSITION OF MATTER;

No. 469,142. Patented Feb. 16,1892. 7

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PHILIP HENRY HOLMES, OF GARDINER, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOLMES FIBRE-GRAPHITE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMPOSITION OF MATTER.

SZPECIFICATI ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,142, dated. February 16, 1892.

Application filed June 23, 1891- Serial No. 397,188. (Specimens) To ctZZ whom it may concern: ter from the material and for molding the Be it known that I, PHILIP HENRY HOLMES, mass into the form required. As in the prior a citizen of the United States, and a resident patent, the fiber acts as an entangling mateof Gardiner, Kennebec county, Maine, have rial for the fine plumbago powder, and acts invented a new Composition of Matter, of .also as a filter, retaining the plumbago and which the following is a specification. preventing it from escaping with the water My invention relates to an improved comthrough the perforations in the mold. After position of matter adapted, for the manufacthe article has been pressed it is removed ture of journal-bearings, packing, projeotilefrom the mold and dried in any suitable man- IO rings, commutator-brushes, and various other ner, and the article is then impregnated or articles where two parts come into frictional saturated with a semi-drying oil, such as contact. The composition of matter can also cotton-seed oil, and in order to get the best be used as a conductor of electricity, as fully results I heat the oil to such a temperature described hereinafter. that it will impregnate the article. The mass [5 My invention is based on the invention set may be saturated more or less with oil, acforth in the patent granted to me on the 16th cording to its character and to the use for day of June, 1891, No. 454,354. which it is intended. I then preferably heat In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is the oiled article in a closed Vessel in order to a perspective view of a bearing made in acassist in driving the oil into the interstices of 20 cordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perthe composition; but this step may be omit- 7o spective view of a projectile-guiding ring, ted in some instances. The article is then partly broken away; and Fig. 3 is a perspecthoroughly dried, preferably by artificial tive view of a commutator-brush. means, by being placed in a suitable retort or In carrying my invention into effectI prefoven and subjected to a sufficient degree of 25 erably take plumbago in a finely-divided form heat to harden, set, and solidify the mass by and float it, so as to obtain as pure an article transforming a portion of the semi-drying oil as possible. ThisI mix with fiber, preferably into a resinous film throughout the intimate in a finely-divided state. In order to thormixture of fiber and plumbago, the portion oughly mix these two substances, I first mix of the oil which is not resinified remaining 30 the fiber with water and then add the plumand serving as a lubricant in addition to the bago, so as to form a mass that will be semiplumbago and also rendering the composition fluid. The relative proportions of plumbago more elastic. In these respects, therefore, and fiber may vary somewhat, depending the composition differs from that forming the upon the character of the article to be prosubject of my patent before alluded to, in

3 5 duced; but in the majority of cases the plumwhich the oil used is a drying-oil capable of bago is in excess. This is especially so when being completely resinified. the material is used as a bearing, in order to The article thus formed is especially adaptobtain the most efficient lubricating service ed for bearings for journal-boxes (shown in consistent with strength. Fig. 1) and other articles subjected to fric- 40 For bearings I can use proportions extendtional wear, and, being solid and dense, makes 0 ing from four parts, by weight, ofplumbago an excellent guiding ring for projectiles, to one of fiber up to thirty-five parts, by (shown in Fig. 2,) as it will be grooved or weight, of plumbago to one of fiber. These formed by the riding of the gun; but at the proportions may be varied, however, and still same time the ring will withstand any lateral 5 insure good-results. pressure, and thus the projectile is turned by 5 The material, when thoroughly mixed, as the riding through the medium of the ring. before, is placed in a mold, preferably corre- I have also found that a commutator-brush sponding in shape to the article to be profor dynamos or electric motors (shown in Fig. duced. It is there subjected to powerful 3) gives very satisfactory results both as to 50 pressure for the purpose of expelling the wawear and electric conductivity, and also can be used for contact-points and arc-light pencils with good results.

In some instances I may dispense with the use of fiber or use a Very small quantity of vfiber in proportion to plumbago, the portion of fiber depending upon the strain or pressure to which the article is to be subjected.

I claim as my invention- 1. A molded and hardened composition of matter consisting, essentially, of plumbago and a semi-drying oil, whereby a portion of the oil acts as a binder for the plumbago and the balance of the oil acts as alubricant with the plumbago, substantially as described.

2. A composition of matter consisting, essentially, of a mixture of plumbago, fiber, and a semi-drying oil molded into the desired i seed oil molded under pressure into the de- 5 sired form and solidified and hardened by heat.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' PHILIP HENRY HOLMES.

WVitnesses:

J NO. E. PARKER, HENRY HOWSON. 

